Drum with quick changeable batter heads



United States Patent Frank J. Severino Reseda, California Appl. No. 747,271

Filed July 24, 1968 Inventor Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Assignee a part interest Shelly Manne Northridge, California a fractional part interest DRUM WITH QUICK CHANGEABLE BATTER HEADS Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerLawrence R. Franklin AttorneyClarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: Each end of a cylindrical drum shell is provided with head attaching and retaining means which not only facilitates tuning but ready attachment and replacement of the head. A sectional collar encircles an outstanding annulus or rim. The collar encompasses the rim and holds an inflatable and deflatable tube beneath the rim. The sections of the collar are adjustably screwed together and the outer section has a turned in adapter flange whose edge provides a thrust lip. When the tube is inflated the lip exerts end thrust pressure on the usual holddown ring or frame of the drumhead and applies the tension desired.

DRUM WITH QUICK CHANGEABLE BATTER HEADS This invention relates to a drum characterized by drumheads which are so mounted and clampingly held in place that it is easy to tune a head and equally easy to replace a defective head with a new one.

By way of introduction to thedescription of the details it is to be mentioned that while the invention would adapt itself to use on musical instruments such as banjos and the like, it was perfected primarily with the idea in mind that it lends itself to feasible and practical and highly desirable use on and in connection with a percussion drum. It follows that the disclosure is directed to a drum. 7

Briefly, it will be noticed that insofar as the body of the drum is concerned it is of customary cylindrical shell form.

The upper and lower marginal edges of the open ends of the shell are bent upon themselves to provide rounded beads which serve to seat the outer marginal portions of the stretchable skin.or plastic batter heads. The head too is of usual disklike form and has its outer marginal edges attached to a wooden, plastic or an equivalent hoop which is referred to either as a frame or holddown ring. The outer marginal edge is simply bent down snugly over the adjacent shell portion and provides an apron or skirt which in turn presents the shoulderlike ring in a position to be acted on by tensioning means. The tensioning means is of the essence in the present disclosure and is novel in that it is characterized by specially designed sheet material half-sections which are of annular form and which have flanges joined adjustablyv together by coacting screw threads. An inward flanged section serves to engage an inflatable and deflatable tube. The tube is nested between this flange and also an outstanding annular flange or rim carried by the shell. The outer section is provided with a turned-in adapter flange. This flange is fitted with requisite nicety around the depending apron of the drumhead and has a lip which rests on the holddown ring. When the captive tube is inflated the sectional collar is pulled down as a unit and the lip of the adapter flange acts on the drumhead to tension and tighten or, alternatively loosen the same depending on whether the drum is being tuned or whether the drumhead has to be replaced.

A general object of the invention is to structurally, functo as an apron 14.The marginal edge ofthe apron is provided with the usual permanently attached ring which is con -veniently designated here as a holddown ring 16. It will be seen that the shell and drumhead are much the same in construction as are currently being used. On the other hand it will be noted that spaced from the head the exterior surface of the tionally and in other ways improve upon deviceswhich are employed on drum bodies and shells for positioning and retaining batter heads in place. To the ends desired the means comprises a sectional collarlike structure or construction which embraces the flanged shell and encloses and is acted on by the captive inflatable and deflatable pneumatic tube.

' Thesetogether with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof,'wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, andin which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a drum constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the same ready for use. a

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken on the plane of the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and with theparts appearing primarily in section.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view, that isa view wherein the lower head is applied and wherein the components which go to make up the upper head and tensioning means are shown individually and in interrelated positions for assembling and removal as the case may be.

Referring now to the drawing the aforementioned cylindrical open-ended body or shell is denoted by the numeral 6. The upper and lower ends are rolled or turned in to provide customary convex beads 8 for the bent portions 10 of the skin or plastic. drumhead 12. This drumhead is of usual disklike form and it is of a diameter that the marginal portions are applied in the manner shown. It willsimplify the description here to describe the upper end of the drum and to keep in mind that the lower end is the same in construction. With this in mind shell is provided with an annulus or flange 18 which is of requisite cross-sectional dimension and which serves as an abutment rim for a c'ooperable inflatable and deflatable pneumatic tube 20. This tube is provided with a valve stem 22. The tube is held captive and therefore confined within the hollow portion of the two-part or sectional collar construction. This collar construction is made from suitable sheet material. The inward half-section is denoted by the numeral 24 and is L- shaped and embodies a first flange 26 which is parallel with the rim l8 and which serves to nest the tube 20 between itself and the rim or flange 18. There is a second flange denoted by the numeral 28 and this has a corrugated portion which is perhaps best referred to as screw-threaded as at 30. This threaded portion overlaps a corresponding threaded portion 32 of the cooperating flange of the outward collar section 34. This collar section 34 has a return bend at 36 which provides a depending annular adapter flange 38 whose lower lip portion rests atop the shoulderlike holddownring 16. This adapter flange snugly surrounds the apron and bears against the holddown ring. There is a dished web at 40 which joins the two flange portions of the section 34. Thus the sections 24 and 34 are threaded together to provide the desired adjustable result. In addition the flange 26 is provided with an opening 42 to accommodate the projecting valve stem 22 as shown at both the left and right in FIG. 2.

It is submitted that a careful consideration of the several views ofthe drawing and particularly FlGS. 2 and 3 will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction of the individual component parts and the manner in which they are cooperatively associated to apply and tension the drumhead. Accordingly, a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

' The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope ofthe invention as claimed.

lclaim:

l. A drum comprising a cylindrical open-ended shell, head means for each open end comprising a membranous vibratory disklike batter head tautly spanning the cooperating open end and having a marginal apron portion drawn over an edge of the shell, pulled down, snugly encompassing the exterior surface of the shell, and terminating in an attached holddown ring, a portion of said shell inwardly of and parallel with said holddown ring having an integral outstanding endless circular rim, batter head positioning and tensioning means characterized by an annular collar embodying an inward half-section L-shaped in cross section and having a first flange spaced from and parallel with said rim and a second flange encircling said shell and marginal edge of said rim and defining a compartment and having screw-threads, an outward half-section having a first annular adapter flange of predetermined diameter encircling and hugging said apron and having a free edge providing a thrust lip which is in thrust engagement with a coacting surface of said holddown ring and also having a second flange spaced from and concentric with said shell and having a screw-threaded portion overlapping and adjustably screwed to the threads on the aforementioned second flange, and a pneumatic tube confined in said compartment.

2. The drum defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said tube is sandwiched in its given position between said rim and said first flange, said first flange having a hole head tautening and tensioning therein and said tube having an inflation valve stem extending outwardly through and accessibly beyond said hole.

3. The drum defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said outward half-section has an annular dished web joining said adapter flange and complemental second flange and dished in a manner to assist one in gripping and catching hold of said outward half-section when it is being applied and removed.

4. A drum comprising an open-ended cylindrical shell, readily applicable and replaceable head means for at least one open end of said shell comprising, in combination, avibratory batter head completely spanning said one open end and having an outer marginal'apron portion stretched tautly over coordinating edge portions of the shell and snugly and conformingly encompassing cooperating exterior surface portions of said shell, said apron portion having an edge terminating in a securely attached outstanding head holddown and retaining ring, a portion of saideitterior surface portions of said shell adjacent-to but spaced from said holddown ring having an integr'ally mounted outstanding annular flange providing a tube positioning and retaining abutment, aninflatable and deflataas selectively variable tension.

5. The drum defined in and according toclaim 4 and wherein said parts comprise inward and outwardcomplemental half-sections, each half-section-being hollow and embodying companion flanges which are separably and adjustably connected together, said inward section having a horizontal flange which is parallel to said abutment flange and is operatively'engageable with an adjacent surface of said tube, said outward half-section having an annular adapter flange encircling and hugging said apron, said adapter flange having a free edge constituting a thrustlip'and said lip having thrust engagement with coacting surface portions of said holddown ring.

6. A drum comprising a cylindrical open-ended shell, head means for each open end comprising a vibratory batter head spanning the cooperating open end and having a marginal apron portion stretched atop the cooperating edge of said shell, snugly encompassing the exterior surface of the shell,

and terminating in an attached outstanding holddown ring, an

exterior surface portionof said shell inwardly of and. parallel with said holddown ring-being provided with an integral lateral outstanding flange, batter head positioning, tautening and tensioning means comprising an annular collar embodying an inward half-section having a first annular flange spaced from and parallel with said flange, said shell and an outer marginal edge of said outstanding flange in defining a tube accommodating compartment, an

outward half-section having a first annular adapter flange of predetermined diameter and encircling and hugging said apron and having a free edge providing a thrust lip which is in thrust engagement with a coacting surface of said holddown ring and also having a second flange spaced from and concentrio with said shell and having a screwthreaded portion overlapping and adjustably screwed to the threads on the aforementioned second flange, and a pneumatic inflatable and deflatable tube confined in said compartment and sandwiched between said outstanding flange andthe annular flange on said inward half-section.

and a second flange encircling 

